"You can take the ape out of the jungle, but not the jungle out of the ape." - Frans de Waal

Bolivia is the unfortunate home to South America’s largest illegal wild animal trade. The illegal pet trade is huge, second only to the illegal drug trade in Bolivia. In a country suffering from very high poverty rates, the treatment and well being of animals is not always considered a priority and often simply not well understood.

Animals in Bolivia are often kept illegally and exotic animals are traded on the black market with little care as to their well being. These animals often suffer from abuse, which results in permanent disabilities and sometimes leads to their death. The Pete the Monkey Project, together with Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi (CIWY), strives to put an end to this.

CIWY’s mission is to raise awareness and fight against this illegal pet trade by rescuing and rehabilitating capuchin monkeys and other wild animals that have fallen victim to trafficking and inhumane captivity.

The Pete the Monkey Project is raising funds to support and release capuchin monkeys back into the wild because they are the most vulnerable, tortured and abused animals in this trade. It is the price they pay for being clever, sweet, friendly and truly inspiring beings.